Cover for interior electric-conduit boxes.



No. 89,|3a. Patented nec. I7, |901.

` .l. H. sTAHLEY.

COVER FOB INTERIOR ELECTRIC CUNDUIT'BOXES.

(Application ledvSept. 20, 1901.)

Wi 14v ooe 4 l dfwcwfoz l l301, *M* afgana@ Y l @It I` Y Il I I --I-II-'- -4 erally mounted upon the curb surrounding NiTEDSTA-Tns JOI-IN II. STAHLEY, OF NEW YORK, N.-

ATENT SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,138, dated December 17, 1901.

Application filed September 20, 1901. Serial No. 75,698. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHNII. STAHLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oovers for Interior Electric-Conduit Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

Boxes of the class to which this invention particularly relates comprise a cover rigidly attached by screws or otherwise and having an opening usually surrounded by a curb or flange. In boxes for electric-light fixtures the threaded boss or stud to which the fixture is attached by means of an ordinary insulating-coupling is placed Within and on the bottom of the box opposite the opening in the cover.V Where the box is for switches, pushbuttons, or sockets, these members are genthe opening in the cover. p

The primary feature of this invention is a sleeve fitting within the cover-opening and having two capacities for adjustment, one in line with its axis and the other angularly thereto, in order that the outer edge of the sleeve may be advanced or depressed after the box is placed in position to bring it in proper alinement with` the face of the wall andmay also be rocked' angularly to bring it into perfect parallelism with the plane of the surface of the wall. Means are provided for holding, clamping, or locking the sleeve in its adjusted position, and such means are preferably applied directly between the curb and sleeve.

A further feature of the invention consists in making the boss or stud to which the fixture is attached angularly adjustable relatively to the box, and to this end in the construction shown the stud is mounted upon the adjustable sleeve so that the xtu re may be arranged perpendicularly to the plane of the wall-surface irrespective of a` faulty angular disposition of the box in the wall. The opening in the .box-cover and the sleeve loosely. fitting therein may be circular or of other cross-section. j

The drawings show an outlet-box for lightfixtures having 'a cylindrical adjustable v.erly adjusted.

sleeve. Thisillustration is deemed quite sufficient to indicate the invention in allits aspects. For switches, push-buttons, and sockets it is perfectly apparent that the sleeve may have the same shape and means of attachment as the o"dinary curb surrounding the opening of such boxes.

Figure l is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; Fig. 3, a plan view of the under face of the cover. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a longitudinal section and a plan View of an adjustable sleeve, showing another mode of mounting the fixture-boss'. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a longitudinal section and a plan View showing another inode of mounting the fixture-boss; Fig. 8, a longitudinal section showing still another mode; Figs. 9 and 10, longitudinal sections indicating boxes placed in position and the sleeves in the cover-openings thereof prop- In all of the figures the fixture stud or boss E is 'shown as mounted upon a bridge-piece extending across the inner end of the adjustable sleeve. Ordinarilyit is formed upon or attached to thebottom of the box at Fig. 2. The box A, which may be of any ordinary or appropriate construction, is indicated by dotted lines with the exception of its cover B, i

which has an opening therein surrounded by an exterior' flange or curb b. The sleeve C, preferably slightly tapered, fits loosely within the cover-opening and is preferably provided with an*exteriorannularange about its outer end. At several points around the flange l) are formed thickened parts b', which are tapped to receive clamping-screws b2. Preferably at least three' equidistant clampingscrews are employed. 'lhe sleeve O may be adjusted axially in the cover-opening and clamped in any desired position and is so fitted within the opening that it may be rocked angularly relative tothe axis thereof. If the box be set too deep within the wall, the sleeve may be dra-wn out and clamped, and if it is not set in proper parallelism with the plane of the surface of the wall the sleeve may be angularly adjusted. Any device carried by the 'sleeve may therefore be set with facility 4 in proper and symmetrical relation to the surface of the wall.

As shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, the bridge- IOO piece D extends diametrically between the inner edges of the sleeve, and to it is attached a plate G, carrying the threaded stud E.

In Figs. et and 5 the bridge D has an o nening CZ with a thread tapped in it to receive lthe threaded ende of the fixture-stud E. lVhere a gas-pipe is to be brought in, the stud maybe removed and the pipe led through the opening d, or, as shown in Figs. t5 and 7, the bridge-piece may be cast with the sleeve C and the metal at the points ot' connection c be so reduced that the bridge may be readily broken away.

In Fig. 8 the bridge-piece carrying the threaded stud is separately formed and is shown as attached within the sleeve by m'eans of screws F. As seen in Fig. 3, the bridgepiece there shown may have in it an opening d for the accommodation of the gas connection, the plate G carrying the stud being removable.

I claim as my invention- 1. An electric outlet or similar box cover with an openingtherein, in combination with a sleeve axially adjustable within the openingaud meansdirectly intermediate the cover and sleeve t'or clamping the latter.

2. An electric outlet or similar box cover with an opening therein, in combination with a sleeve axially adjustable within the opening, and clam pingscrews mounted iu or on the cover and impinging upon the walls of the sleeve.

An electric outlet or similar box cover with an opening therein, in combination with a sleeve seated within the opening and angularly adjustable relatively to the axis thereof, and means t'or securing the sleeve in any position to which it may be adjusted.

4. An electric outlet or similar box cover with an opening therein, in combination with a sleeve seated within the opening and axially and :ingularly adjustable relatively to the axis thereof, and means for securing the sleeve iu any position to which it may be adjusted.

5. An electric outlet or similar box cover with an openingtherein, a flange or curb surrounding the opening, a sleeve adjustable axially and angularly within the opening and means for holding the sleeve in any position to which it may be adjusted.

G. A cover with an opening therein for an outlet-box for electric-light fixtures, in combination with a sleeve angularly adjustable within the opening, means for holding it inl any position to which it may be adjusted and a stud for attachment of the fixture carried by the sleeve.

7. A cover with a circular opening therein for an outlet-box for electric-light fixtures, a iiange or curb surrounding the opening, a sleeve angularly adjustable within the opening, means for holding it in any position to which it may be adjusted and a iixturestud carried by the sleeve.

S. A cover with an opening therein for an outlet-box for electric-light fixtures, a sleeve angularly adjustable Within the opening, a bridge-piece extending across the inner end of the sleeve, a fixture-stud carried by the bridge-piece, and means for holding the sleeve in any position to which it maybe adjusted.

9. An outlet device for electric-light fixtures comprising two members one of which is axially and angularly adjustable within the other, means for holding the adjustable meinber in any position to which it may be adjusted and a ixturestud mounted upon the adjustable member.

l0. An outlet device 'for electric-light fixtures comprising a box and a fixture-stud angularly adjustable relatively to the box, for the purpose set forth.

ll. An electric outlet or similar box cover with an opening therein, combined with an angularly-adjustable sleeve located in the opening.

12. An electric-outlet or similar box cover with an opening therein, combined with an axially and angularly adjustable sleeve 1ocated in the opening.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOI-IN H. STAHLEY.

Witnesses:

KATHARINE MAoMAHoN, EDWARD C. DAVIDSON. 

